


Fake Smiles

by Ambrose



Series: Dare to Write Challenge [27]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Possibly Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-13
Updated: 2016-11-13
Packaged: 2018-08-30 18:46:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8544925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ambrose/pseuds/Ambrose
Summary: Raven keeps smiling at people despite everything, and it drives Anya nuts.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tveckling](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tveckling/gifts).



"Can't you just stop?!" Anya snapped when Abby had left the room. She'd been convalescent in Camp Jaha's nursery for some time, now, and so was Raven. And the girl seemed nice enough, for a Sky person, but damnit that _thing_ she did was getting on her nerves.

"What?" Raven turned around, incomprehension all over her face. She was clearly upset by what Abby told her, it showed now.

"This," Anya waved at her. "You clearly don't like how she treats you. And yet you're here all smiley and nice. What's wrong with you, why don't you just tell her?"

"Well, uh, that's called being polite? What use would it have for me to just yell at her? She's trying to be helpful. She's annoying, but I can't really tell her off. She's right. I just have to get around to the idea that I might not use my leg again. Because it displeases me doesn't mean I should take it out on her. Or would you? You seemed more just and pragmatic when we were on opposite sides."

Anya smiled. "At least you're not doing the whole hypocrisy thing with me."

"You'd hate it. Though I guess for my people's sake I shouldn't be too much of an asshole to you. But see, Abby, she's... She's been overwhelmed for a long time. You can take it. You see it, anyways, so pretending would be worse, but she doesn't, so..."

"That's just so calculating," Anya grimaced in disgust. "That's how you treat your friends?"

"She's not my friend, she's my doctor and the damn chancellor. And I snapped at her before. It didn't help me, or her. It's not _mean_ to try to be nice to people even when you don't feel like it."

Anya frowned. "I don't generally try to spare other people's feelings."

"I guess that's why you're General and not Commander, then."

Anya's frown deepened. She deserved this one, alright.

"What, you'd rather I was nicer to you?"

"No. But you do that with others too. Before Clarke left you were all about acting like you were fine and all smiley, and not worried as well. What's the point."

"I get it, you're tough, you don't _do_  friends. But don't pretend like you're not acting all tough gal in front of other warriors even when you're in pain. I see you. Clarke's my friend. We've had our fights but she's there for me. And if you don't think she's got enough on her plate right now without uselessly worrying about me, then you're stupider than I thought."

Anya relented. She was right, it was quite hypocritical of her to reproach her for being... well, hypocritical, when she herself relied so much on her façade to impose herself. She looked down.

"I guess we all have our ways to deal with shit."

"And it bothers you that mine is to be nice to people, when all you do is trying to seem emotionless," Raven completed. 

She hadn't realised just how harsh Raven could be when provoked - and was it not a mirror of her own directness? If she'd thought she could see right through Raven, it seemed to go both ways. And she somehow didn't hate the thought of someone knowing that much about her. 

Yes, Raven's smile bothered her. It seemed fake, was clearly fake, to her. But if most people took her tough and impassible exterior as her true self, she had to be honest with herself and admit she put a lot of work into looking like the stern general her men respected. There was no place for sentiment in this war. Any war. But that wasn't all she was, and she'd started letting that façade take over every part of her life, because it was easier than to deal. She'd almost fooled herself. 

She sighed. "I just don't know how you do it," she finally admitted. 

Raven shrugged. "I don't know either. Most days I just act like nothing affects me either. It's easier to do that. Or to shout. But I've been angry enough at Clarke for no reason, I kinda owe her that. And besides, I'm stuck here, so it's all the effort I'm gonna do today. That and bear with asshole grounders who think they know everything." She winked at her. 


End file.
